Comments on: Latter-day Saint Images, 1929

By: Guy Murray

Guy Murray — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:09:52 +0000

Great photos, Ardis. Your ability to bring the past to the present is unparalleled.

By: Steve C.

Steve C. — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 02:00:06 +0000

As always, I enjoy the old unit photos.

I was equally impressed with the Sacramento chapel. I wish we still had a little independence on these issues. Several years ago, BYU did an expose on LDS chapels before they became standardized. Very interesting.

I also liked the saxophone band in front of the temple. You just don’t see that today. Lost culture?

By: Ardis E. Parshall

Ardis E. Parshall — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 20:44:24 +0000

Hunter, these photos were all published in the church magazines, generally the Juvenile Instructor (which became the Instructor in 1930). I don't know how or why they started publishing them, but once they did, everybody just seemed to want to be part of the trend -- "if they can have their picture printed, why not us?" The Children's Friend actively solicited photos of Primary activities, and the Improvement Era was willing but not eager to print pictures -- I say that because they kept warning people that they wouldn't print photos unless there were at least four faces in them, didn't want to use the space for portraits or smaller groups. I wish I knew more about the saxophone band -- that's wild! jose, the Sacramento chapel was built before the church started providing standard plans. Many wards hired architects to design their own buildings, but some used plans that a local architect might have in stock and had already used -- it all depended on local taste and budget, independent of Salt Lake City. I don't know anything about the Sacramento building specifically, but like you, I love the way it represents California tradition. You might see a similar building elsewhere in the Southwest, but certainly nowhere in New England or the Midwest, would you? That's great, Jared. I'll keep an eye out for references to that ward (I hadn't heard the Lucero name before). I have a feeling that you'll be infusing that ward with a special sense of pride in its heritage. My mother used to visit that branch every time she heard they were having a fund-raising dinner in the '40s and early '50s.

By: Jared T.

Jared T. — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 19:26:25 +0000

Ardis, it just so happens that this morning I found out that we live within the borders of the old Mexican Branch, which was renamed the Lucero Branch (once someone figured that not everyone in the branch was from Mexico), now the Lucero Ward. It’s the oldest continuing Spanish-speaking unit in the United States I understand. So, my wife and I discussed it and as we’re gonna go visit next week with the view of eventually moving to that Ward. Needless to say that the thought of being a part of that historic unit at this time in my life is nothing short of exhilarating.

By: jose

jose — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:51:49 +0000

I love the mission style LDS chapel in Sacramento. Is this one of the standard church architectural plans?

By: Hunter

Hunter — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 18:44:19 +0000

These are great. An all-saxophone band? You know what they say about saxophones . . .

Anyhow, what is the occasion of all these photos, Ardis? Were they taken as part of a series in a Church periodical? Or were they submitted as part of a unit’s annual report? I remember the branches in my mission taking photos from time to time, yes, but never as part of a North American ward. Your photos seem to come from everywhere.